Advanced technologies for Climate-Resilient, Water- Efficient, and Self-Sustainable Agri-Food Systems

Maria Rita PALATTELLA, LIST - Luxembourg

Transcript

1. Advanced technologies for Climate-Resilient, Water- Efficient, and Self-Sustainable Agri-Food Systems Presenter: Dr. Maria Rita PALATTELLA Principal R&T Scientist Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) WORKING GROUP 3 - Life Support System & Circularity 24.04.2026
2. Introduction / Motivation 2 CLIMATE CHANGES – IMPACT on AGRICULTURE AND FOOD-Production LUXEMBOURG as an example “Luxembourg – Dozens Evacuated After Record Rainfall Causes Rivers to Break Banks” https://floodlist.com/europe/luxembourg-floods-july-2021 “2022 was the warmest year on record since 1838” https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/2010155.html “Luxembourg agriculture grapples with dry spring” https://delano.lu/article/luxembourg-agriculture-faces-a 2021 FLOODS 2022 DROUGHTS NEED OF INNOVATIVE, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES Soil erosion Water stress - Negative impact on soil health
3. CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE (CEA) Opportunities and Challenges Year-round production independent of weather and seasons Higher yields per square meter through optimized growing conditions Efficient use of resources (up to 90% less water than traditional farming) Reduced pesticide and herbicide use due to controlled conditions Consistent crop quality and predictable output Local food production, closer to consumers Complex climate control requiring advanced monitoring and farm management Synthetic nutrient dependency Automation and robotics readiness gaps Labour-intensive tasks must be automatised. Variability in plant morphology and layout limits the deployment of robust, cost- effective robotics. Opportunities Challenges
4. LIFE In a nutshell 4 Title: Climate-Resilient, Water-Efficient, and Self- Sustainable Agri-Food Systems Topic: Enhance Fertilizer efficiency and reduce fertilizer use Status: Active Duration: 36M Start Date: 01.04.2024 Funding Scheme: Green Era-Hub Funded under: INTER Programme Budget: 1 360 000 euros (1 039 000 euros funded)
5. 5 Waste management Resource optimisation Sustainable agriculture Saving water resource Increased agricultural efficiency Diversified food production Real-time decision making Holistic farm management Feasibility study Stakeholder engagement Adoption Promotion LIFE OBJECTIVES
6. AEROBIC DIGESTION & SANITATION ANIMAL WASTE (MANURE) ORGANIC FERTILIZER & TUNING N P K Renewable Energy Use / Production * * * Dashed variables (CO2 & Energy) are not within the scope of this project * WATER STORAGE / RAINWATER CAPTURE HYDROPONIC FARM DIGITAL TWIN (SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION) Local CO2 Reuse /Reduction LIFE SYSTEM AND APPROACH
7. 7 Air supply Drain Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) Air supply Slurry Effluent Drain Temp pH Air stone Nominal volume: 2.55 L Liquid volume: 2.25 L Media filling ratio: 50% Active surface area: 0.4 m2 Peristaltic pump Biocarrier media Exhaust gas Temp pH Exhaust gas Slurry Effluent Vent Headspace Recirculation pump Membrane module Peristaltic pump Nominal volume: 2.75 L Liquid volume: 2.5 L Fiber OD: 0.51 mm Active surface area: 0.78 m2 NH 4 + NO 3 - Nitrifying biofilm Membrane surface Air AEROBIC BIOFILM REACTORS for manure transformation into hydroponic fertilizers
8. Hydroponic Pilot farm in Luxembourg 8 • Multiple crops: tomatoes, chillies, herbs (mints, parsley), courgettes • Two different systems: Industry Standard Coco-coir bags and FH Proprietary TBM gravel-based system • Two different irrigation schedule: time-discrete vs continuous irrigation • Lesson Learnt: Coco-coir bags held too much moisture, and facilitate root-borne illnesses and excess nutrient. Different crops needs different amount of nutrients. Not trivial to test several crops, at the same time.
9. 9 IoT Monitoring System for Micro-climate Monitoring and Efficient use of resources Soil moisture T, H, P, Co2 Fan Window
10. 10 IoT Monitoring System for Micro-climate Monitoring and Efficient use of resources BACK NIGTH DAY
11. Ongoing integration and implementation of the system in the Pilot Farm in LU 11 Pilot-scale MABR Hydroponic Aquaponic Manure-based • Integration: Installation of the Pilot-scale MABR in LU (13.04.2026) • Test Trials: comparison hydroponic vs aquaponic vs manure-based from May 2026 (new crop season) • Digital Twin of the Farm: From IoT monitoring to simulation and control (efficient use of resources) by December 2026
12. 5G-AGROBOT In a nutshell 12 Title: 5G for Automated Greenhouse Robotic Operations Topic: 5G communication Technology for Smart Environment Status: Active Duration: 36M Start Date: 01.01.2025 Funding Scheme: FNR – Ministry of economy (MECO) Funded under: Joint call Budget: 1 444 000 euros
13. 5G-AGROBOT Technological FRAMEWORK Affordable monitoring and harvesting system for small and medium-size indoor farms IoT-based sensing and monitoring system AI-driven computing platform Robotic Control and Automation System
14. Multi-connectivity Platform Reliable Local Network Infrastructure
15. From the pilot in Luxembourg to THE ANDROMEDA EARTH OBSERVATORY ❑ Energy-efficient climate control system ❑ Circular Approach for water and nutrient management ❑ Resilient Network infrastructure for data collection ❑ Digital Twins for remote control and decision-making support ❑ AI tools and robotics for efficient CEA operations Challenges to address 15
16. 16 Thank you for your attention! Contact: Dr. Maria Rita PALATTELLA mariarita.palattella@list.lu Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) Website: https://www.geh-life.com/ Join our LinkedIn Group https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13011421/ Website: https://researchportal.list.lu/ projects/detail/5g-agrobot